§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what encouragement his Department gives to general dental practitioners to use the certification scheme for dental laboratories;
(2) what involvement his Department has with the certification scheme for dental laboratories; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FreemanAt present there is no certification scheme for dental laboratories. The Dental Laboratories Association (DLA) has taken the initiative in the formation of an independent body known as the Certification Authority for Dental Laboratories and Suppliers (CADLAS), which plans to commence operation from October 1989.
The Department's NHS procurement directorate was approached by the DLA on this matter in November 1987. Since then the directorate's technical staff have encouraged, advised and held discussions with the DLA about CADLAS, in terms of participating in a series of seminars arranged by the DLA throughout the United Kingdom, sending an observer to the first two meetings of the CADLAS council and advising CADLAS on quality assurance requirements and the draft good manufacturing practice (GMP) standard.
The Department accepts the need for a recognised system of quality assurance in this field and is confident that CADLAS is equipped to fulfil this role. Its ultimate success will, however, depend on its acceptance and recognition by dental practitioners who have the prime responsibility for the quality of dental prosthetics.